Red Hair and Changing Tides
by Lawless Justice
Summary: "Well what can you say to a goddess anyway?" This story spans the love life of Shanks before and during the current time line, while introducing a range of new characters. There is humor, romance and of course adventure. ShanksxOC Please enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Events take place before and during current time line. I would really love some feedback on my first ever story so please tell me what you think. I try my hardest to keep everyone in character and I am really open for constructive criticism and suggestions (compliments also appreciated ^_^). Enjoy please! I do not own One Piece**.

It was a tranquil day in the east blue. The air filled with the crisp tang of salt and seaweed mixed with the calmness a sweet ocean inherently brings. It was on a day like this that a certain red hair boy planned out his very first adventure.

"OOOOOOOKAAAAAAAAAYYY! It's all finished! Finally, I'm on my first step to becoming a great pirate!" The red haired boy held up a large slightly crumpled piece of paper. He smiled deeply and with a sense of accomplishment. But suddenly a shadow appeared over-head. "What the-" and before the red haired boy could even finish the shadow quickly engulfed the paper into its large beak. "Aw come back here you bastard." The red head ran, jumping over small fences and stumbling only to regain his speed. The bird found this display of sheer determination admirable if not humorous and wanted to see just how far this little boy would go so it decided to fly past a large crowd that seemed to be growing by the harbor. "Heeeeeeey! ugfh-" the boy bumped right into the buttock of a grow man. Poor things mouth was open.

"Hey what the hell's the-"the man looked down, "oh it's just you Shanks ha?" Shanks looked up with surprise, regained his composure and stood quickly.

"Hey Tali-san! What's goin' on? Why's everybody at the shore" Shanks said brushing away the dirt that had gotten on his clothes.

"Well that's an easy question ha? There's a pirate ship loading up on the dock, and let me tell you the kids on this ship ain't no joke ha?" Tali-san motioned to the shore with a quick jerk of his head. And for the next ten minutes Shanks saw three things that would change his life forever. The first was the ship. It was huge and immaculate, much bigger than anything he'd ever seen or even dreamed of. Its large deck he could see was spotless even from where he stood. There was well over 10 cabins and the sails….Oh the sails were really something to behold. Large enough to hold and cradle the wind that would push them along on their journey and it was pitch black save their jolly roger. Their jolly roger was a skull with what a crooked smile that seemed to change every time the wind nudged it and one sword going straight down the middle intersecting the skull perfectly. Surrounding the skull were musical notes that appeared to be dancing in the breeze. It was a well know symbol of a very famous, or more so infamous, pirate group at that time. The Singing Death Pirates were infamous not only for their beautiful music but because they were rumored to be vicious murderers who don't give a damn if you're a woman or child. Shanks knew all this of course, and instead of turning around and looking for the bird (who must be by now far off) he writhed with excitement at the rare opportunity to see these pirates. For the truth was he secretly admired their leader Jack Newgate, the biological son of Edward Newgate better known as Whitebeard. Shanks often looked at the wanted poster of this man(whose bounty grew what appeared to be by the second) and knew he wasn't as bad as the rumors said. As he pushed through the crowd he saw the second thing that would change his life and would be the impetus of another dream in the future that now seemed an eternity away in Shanks's young heart. He was tall and slender much like the poster depicted him, his short silver hair seemed to be forever brushed by some gentle hand of the wind or maybe tousled by some playful angel. His eyes shone with a fierce and kind determination that made Shanks think that the poster did them no justice. His shirt was wrinkled, tucked into his pants, and unbuttoned revealing a wall of a chest. On his left hip a sword, on his right a gun. But what trapped Shanks's attention was something he always coveted, Jack's straw-hat. It was pure beauty how it folded and unfolded in the gentle breeze. _ If only I could touch it, if I could just hold his hat…_ Shanks went through all the ways he could sneakily get the hat off his hero's head he forgot where he was. A sudden figure interrupted his thoughts and Shanks quickly realized who he was standing in front of.

"Ah kid are you, uh okay?" Jack's voice was sweet with a tweak of roughness that comes from years on the sea.

"O-huh? What! Oh me? Yes I'm fine, I'm a man after all right?" Shanks puffed out his chest and placed his fists firmly on his hips. There was a silence, and the town held its breath hoping Shanks hadn't said anything to offend the man. Jacks lips quivered abruptly, he clenched and unclenched his fists, and his nakama slowly came up behind him.

"Pffft ta hahahahahahahaha!" Jack could barely hold in his laughter (almost like he didn't try). He bent over and laughed and laughed until tears rolled up into his eyes. At first Shanks was confused and then he too got the contagious laughter that permeated the air. Soon everyone at the shore began to laugh each catching the disease one by one until even Jack's "stone cold" crew was in tears.

" Ahaha Ahaha haaaaaaaaa. Wow kid whooo a man huh? What are you like five? Ha! You're funny kid I like you! Say how bout you show me to the bar huh?" Jack stepped towards the child and bent down to him so they met eye to eye. He smiled a bright smiled that quickly dissolved everyone's fear of Jack's rumored bloodlust. However Shanks hadn't heard past the point in which Jack accused him of being five.

"Dammit I'll have you know I'm not five I'm seven" Shanks held up six fingers. This simply added to Jack's amusement.

"Seven huh? Wow you remind me of myself when I was that age… Yeah to think just 3 years later I would be out on my first adventure!" Unexpectedly, Jack's face lit up with an eagerness that can only be described as a light bulb moment. "Oi! I have a sister who is your age." He turned towards the ship "that's her coming out right now!" And this is the third thing that would change Shanks's life forever. She was small with light freckles that seemed to be painted onto her skin by the gentle hand of God himself. Like her brother she had silver hair, but hers was long reaching the back of her knees. Her face was a childish round that still held its innocence even though she had spent most, if not all of her life, on the unforgiving and fickle sea. Nevertheless, Shanks focus was seized on her baby blue eyes. They were the color of the sea in which she was raised, or maybe the sky in which she spent many a lazy afternoon gazing, no matter what the reason Shanks knew they were the prettiest eyes he had ever seen. He gawked at her for what seemed like a very slow and awkward eternity until she spoke to him and said " Hey what's up?" the dry softness of her voice held Shanks at full attention. He opened his mouth but couldn't find the words to say anything. Well what could you say to a goddess any way?

"Uh huuuuh." Jack passed a quizzical look to Cecilia as she shurged not knowing why the boy started at her so, _if he keeps his mouth open something might fly in there _ Cecilia couldn't help but think. Jack cleared his throat and said "Well, little boy this is my sister Cecilia Newgate" Jack said a smile now plastered on his face.

"I'm S-Shanks" Shanks shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"Nice to meet ya" Cecilia said bowing politely and looked at Shanks with her sky-sea blue eyes.

"Same here" And thus our story begins.


	2. Chapter 2

_"I'm S-Shanks" Shanks shifted his weight from one foot to the other._

_"Nice to meet ya" Cecilia said bowing politely and looked at Shanks with her sky-sea blue eyes._

_"Same here" And thus our story begins. _

**To Elena: Thank you for your kind words, I will take into consideration how I phrase tings because they do seem a tad personal. You have inspired me to keep going with a second chapter and I would love to know what you think.**

**Again all feedback is appreciated!**

"Well it's about time for my morning to mid-day drink! Kid you gonna take me up on my offer?" Jack smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh?" Shanks shook his head, breaking himself out of the trance of the beautiful blue. "Hell yeah! And then you and I can swap manly stories! I'll show you to Tali-san he owns the saloon" Shanks looked up and beamed and Jack, who was motioning for his crew and his sister to follow him. They pushed through the crowd that was suffering from a hangover due to the intoxicating laughter until they reached a man who seemed to be as hairy as he was big (and let me tell you, he was huge). "Tali-san my men and I would like a drink over at your saloon!"

"Men ha? And why would I want to show these barbarians into my saloon?" Tali-san puffed out his chest and lifted his head, either to exert his manliness or to hide his fear wasn't clear.

"Barbarians? I'll have you know-" Cecilia started but was interrupted by her brother's hand coming to a rest on her shoulder.

"Aha, I can assure you sir we are not the people the marines say we are. We are just pirates who wish to travel the world with our own ambitions and dreams ya'know? I can understand your concern and I bear no grudge believe me! All we want is a drink and a place to relax after many months on the sea." Jack smiled a smile of a young boy with a heart of gold and a soul of silver. A smile that would have eradicated all fear in any other human being. But not Tali-san, while Tali-san wasn't a marine he sure as hell didn't trust any pirates especially one's with a rumored desire for blood and death.

"Hell no. you polite words can fool everyone but me barbarian" Tali-san's voice was harsh.

"Aw really sir?" Jacks smile faded into a pout. "I mean we have the money to pay for the drinks if that's what you're worried about…" Jack shifted through his pockets, pulling out gum wrapper, a broken bullet, a small string and of course lint. "Uh well uh maybe not now but uh I swear we'll pay you back honest!" Jack bowed and raised his hands in a praying motion above his head. And somehow this tiny gesture dissipated Tali-san's fear of Jack, and in that moment all Tali-san could see was a penniless child who could have been in some strange universe Shanks's older brother. But if he was going to let them in he wanted to know all about them first, by name and bounty.

"Oh fine ha, but I need to know who the hell's gonna be drinking up my bar ha?" At this Jack smile and raised his head and gestured to the man by his side. "This is my first mate Nicholas Lawless 25 million beri" Nicholas raised a hand to signify that Jack meant him. He had cold onyx eyes, that seemed to suck in all the light that hit his face. His mouth was a straight line of apathy his semi long hair was slicked back into a red banded ponytail. He had a black shirt, completely buttoned and a katana hoisted on his waist. He had long black bell bottoms held up with a red belt.

"That's Ronny 15 million beri" He pointed to a gruff looking mad who obviously hadn't shaved in quite some time. He wasn't fat but more so very muscular he carried a giant rifle on his back and a long pose on his hairy wrist. If no one knew any different he and Tali-san could have been twins. He we outfitted in a white shirt and brown shorts.

"These two are Lacey and Lucia 10 million beri each" He pointed to a pair of identical twins. Lucia wore a black lace glove up the length of her right arm and Lacey wore a red one on her left. Lacey's golden hair was parted to the left and Lucia's to the right. Had it been at another time Shanks would have thought these two were the most beautiful beings on earth. Tali-san looked them all up and down. They all looked no older than their leader.

"And this is Cecilia she-" Jack was cut off abruptly by Tali-san raising his massive hand.

"Oh alright, but cause any trouble and I'll have your heads ha? Got that ha?" Tali-san turned around and walked towards his bar. Jack looked at his crew and smiled widely. They reached the saloon in no time at all when they got to it they were a bit shocked. The bar wasn't as big as they hoped it would be. A small, modest thing named after its owner. The inside was a bit cramped but there were enough seats for every one and a little more people.

Jack took a seat at the bar with Shanks sitting eagerly next to him. Cecilia sat on the other side.

"Just how old are you guys anyway? You all seem a bit too young to be on the ocean" Tali-san stated cleaning up a glass cup.

"18 years old sir" Said Lacey, Lucia nodded.

"20, old man" said Ronny in a voice that didn't show disrespect but a strange and twisted admiration of Tali-san.

"And I am 19 years old" Nicholas said with cool a lack of emotion. Jack smiled at him, and he blushed and looked towards the ground playing with some invisible pebble. Tali-sans mouth dropped, he never expected the evil looking second in command to be so, so…..

"So" Shanks started to no one in particular cutting off Tali-san's train of thought "what's you guys story?"

**I apologize if the descriptions seem a bit off or lacking. I didn't want to spoil too much of the next chapter. The next chapter will go deeper into the lives of Jack's mysterious crew mates and how they all met. So please look forward to it! Again all feedback appreciated! And I find it essential to say that even though the story is ShanksxOC I still want to make every character as full as possible so as for the next two chapters Shanks won't be in them but Cecilia her brother and his crew will be.**


	3. Meet the Crew: Captain and First mate

**-10 years prior-**

Jack ran down the grand hallway, he panted and ran but the cries only got louder. _Oh God Jack move faster, faster! _Those cries sunk deep into Jack's mind, stayed there, all friendly-like. A calm "shhh" infiltrated the air, only to make the cries louder. Jack ran with all his might, reached the room and rushed inside.

"Waaaaah Waaaaah!" a blue eyed silver haired baby lay restlessly in its mother's arms.

"Cecilia! No more crying Cessy-chan no more" he lifted his baby sister out of his mother's arms. "I know you're tired I know…" Jack patted his sister's back, rubbed, and then patted it again. The cries slowed quieted and stopped. Soft and constant breathing dispersed throughout the room. Jack laid his sister in her crib. "You know Mom you shouldn't be up either, you're sick and you need rest." Jack looked up at his mother with a sincere sternness as if HE was HER father. "I'll take care of you. After all when Father is away I'm the man of the house!" Jack beamed at this. He just loved how "man-of-the-house" rolled off his tongue. His mother looked at him with strong but weary blue eyes, eyes that have long ago been married to the maiden named adventure but have been estranged from her for some time.

"Man of the house huh?" She gazed out the window. Her silver-grey hair reflecting the sun light like a mirror.

"Yep, but only until Father comes back, he'll be back soon he has to be!" Jack quickly covered his mouth afraid he might've woken his sister up. His mother chuckled lowly, lightly, lovingly. "Well anyway I should get back to my chores!" Jack turned smartly on his heels and jogged to the door.

"Jack," his mother called his name so softly it seemed to merge into the air and disappear.

"Yeah?"

"Do you really think your father will come back?" she said without looking at him.

"Yep Father knows your sick he'll be back soon. I mean how could he not know? It's in the paper and Father reads the paper…"

"Yeah I guess you're right." Jack left the room and a single tear trekked down his mother's face.

Several days passed and his mother's health deteriorated more and more. Jack tried his hardest to take care of her, his sister and to keep faith in his father's return. But with each of his mother's coughs, with each of her moans of pain and with each sign that the light would soon leave her eyes he found it harder and harder to believe in the man whose face he was beginning to forget.

The other kids were of no help, the badge of his father's name had once been a beacon of honor, now the kids taught him asking what kind of father lets his wife die and his children suffer? And they were right, _what kind of father, what kind of man forsakes his own family? _Jack would often think. Then the final day arrived.

He was at her bed side, holding her hand, and his sister's wails filled the house. She coughed, oh what a horrible sound…. She laid on her bed, her nightgown drenched in due to the fever from hell. She smiled at her son, whose lip quivered and whose eyes were rainy.

"Jack…" she whispered, even facing death her voice was beautiful.

" Yes mommy." Jack jumped eager to help her before, before, oh god he didn't want to think about that. The denial of it, after all, was his only solace.

"Be a good boy… love your sister…she's the only thing… you ...will have left" her words came in quick gasps. His sister screamed.

"No, no Ma, don't say that. You'll live, you will, I promise! Father will come back and…" he couldn't even finish it, for he didn't believe it himself. His mother simply let out a little giggle as clear and as pure as rain.

"It's too late for that now honey just promise me you will"

"No, no please don't…"

"Promise" her stern interruption made his cheeks red and the pain in his throat grow.

"I promise…" Jack lowered his heard and tightened his grip on her hand.

"Good, thank you, I love you Jack, I love you Cecilia" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I love you too mommy" but it was too late. She didn't exhale, she didn't move. She didn't look like she was sleeping as people say, but more so that she was, quite simply, dead. Jack picked up his sister who was in her chair and their cries fused and became one sound of pain and lose.

Jack didn't leave the house for days. His mother was buried and his hopes gone with her. The world was his enemy; no one was to be trusted but his sister. The adults of the village pitied him and his sister so they often let him in their homes and he used this kindness to perfect the art of the innocent smile. _Fools, _he thought,_ I'll teach you to have faith…_.

The teasing didn't let up though, they continued to bully him and he fought them whenever he could, and he would always win. But he hated them, loathed them, wanted them dead. And he had a plan to do it. He brought a boat big enough to hold him and his sister comfortably with the inheritance he received. And he waited 'til nightfall.

When the sun fell behind the trees and below the horizon he went to work. He left his sister in the boat on the shore, dumped a plenitude of meat in the water, put the matches in his pockets and carried the gallons of gasoline to the main square. He poured the gasoline in a straight line and walked around with it trailing behind him. He wove through the houses; even going in them emptying can after can after can. He poured his hatred, sorrow and pain over the entire village. And then it was time. He went back to the shore where the boat was and took out the matches. Slowly, carefully, and with immense joy he lit the match that would take the lives of those he hated. The flames spread quickly and with ease engulfing the village rapidly. Jack snickered, the flames of grief and rage reflecting it his eyes, casting a red-yellow glow on his face. He turned to Cecilia who was transfixed by the colors.

"Ain't it pretty Cessy-chan?" Jack pushed the boat into the water and hopped in. When the first screams arose Jack's skin began to crawl with an excitement that can only be achieved through revenge. Even as they drifted away he could hear the screams and watched in seer delighted joy as the people jumped into the sea only to meet the sharks that had been attracted there by the meat. Jack's laugh melted into the sky and into eternity.

**-One year after this event-**

A boy looked to the sea contemplating whether or not today way a good day.

"No. Not today. I want the sky to cry for me since no one else will…" the young boy shifted with a strange combination of excitement, anxiety, and fear.

"Boy? Boy! Get your ass down here and finish your chores you lazy shit!" a woman said coming up quickly behind him. Before he could even mutter his response she proceeded to sweep him up with one hand and beat him furiously with the other. He tried to struggle but only out of instinct, reality set in and he soon stopped. _I will endure this, only until the sky opens up and cries for me. _"Now get the hell off this hill and get to work!" she threw him and he let himself fall. Oh how he didn't want to leave the ground, how he wanted to just stay there, forever…. But he got up and did his chores like he was told. He cooked and cleaned and took the abuse thrown his way. Insults from "failure" to "a bastard lazy shit" were common and if the old hag didn't refer to him by "boy" every so often he would have been inclined to believe that one of those insults were his real name. His only joy came at night when he would sneak out of his inferno and onto the shore. Now, don't get him wrong, he had no desire to be a pirate, not at all. He didn't trust them; they were all scum to him. However, he sure did love the sea.

It was on a night like this that he saw something small coming towards the island. It looked like a boat, with two people on it. Nicholas looked around the shore furiously for a hiding spot and found one. He hid behind a small shrub on the side of the bank and held his breath. When the boat arrived and its contents unloaded, two figures did stand there. Both had silver that reflected the moon light but the darkness of night casted shadows over their faces making it hard to tell who or what they were. But one had a hat.

_A straw hat? Maybe they're marines…or pirates. _Disgust washed across Boy's face as he thought of pirates. They were the reason he was treated so horribly. They stole him from his mother's arms when he was just a baby and even to this day he can still hear her cries in his sleep. Pirates owned this island and they beat him, abused him, tortured him. No, if they were pirates he'd kill 'em right there where they stood. _Oh who the HELL am I kidding, look at me I'm a freaking skeleton for goodness sake. _And he was, they didn't feed him often and whenever they did it was the most vile things a person could imagine, ranging from slime to human flesh and on occasion cow shit. It was repulsive, sickening. However, it was the hell he was forced to endure and endure it he did. Well, until the sky would cry for him, then he wouldn't have too.

Lost in thought he wasn't aware that one of the figures made its way over to him.

"Aaaah!" Boy screamed and tried to scurry away but the figure grabbed his hair and dragged him away from the bush. He wanted to cry but the tears were long gone, he wondered if or more so hoped that this pirate would kill him.

"Who are you" said the tall Straw hatted one.

"I-I don't have a name…" Boy looked the Straw hat kid in the eyes. _Even though it's dark out here his eyes… they are…they're…beautiful. _

"Huh? No name? What kind of stunt you tryin' ta pull?" Jack cocked his fist back aiming for Boy's face.

"Stop Jack!" the smaller one ran to the tall kid. "Have faith brother he might not be lying. Learn to control your anger brother!" The small one grabbed frantically at Jack's fist.

"Cecilia… ugh you're right I'm sorry." He let go of the boy's hair and looked down bashfully.

_His name is Jack huh? And this is his sister. Cecilia? He looks no older than I am maybe even a bit younger…and the girl she looks no older than a year. How can she speak so well?_

Boy was interrupted by the two children moving closer together. They stood perfectly in the moonlight. Boy could see their faces so clearly. They were, in a word, beautiful. Their silver hair glistened in the light and moved slowly with the gentle air. The boy's, Jack's, eyes were cold onyx, hard and unmoving, but on the other hand filled with an untapped reservoir of love. Boy shifted uneasily he never felt anything else but hatred and indifference towards people, and behold here was some child with his sister that came out of nowhere, on a boat and he had the urge to hug him, the urge to be showered with the love in the boy's eyes.

"Say, it ain't fair that you don't have a name. Hm, how about Nicholas, Nicholas Lawless? How's that sound?" Jack looked over and beamed at Boy, and all Boy could do was be mystified by this kid's smile.

"Nicholas huh? Yes, I would like that name" In truth Boy, uh, Nicholas had no words to express his gratitude.

"You got a place to stay, 'cause we need one." Nicholas wished he could have said yes but he lived (if you can call his state of existence living) in the back room of a pirate bunker. _Well maybe I can hide them there for a while_. "Sure I do but you got to be extra quiet."

Over the next few days Jack and Cecilia stayed in the cramped room of the bunker while Nicholas either didn't sleep or was working his ass off. When Nicholas did come to the back room Jack asked him, "why do you let them beat you and call you harsh things? Don't you ever fight back?" All Nicholas could do was blush; he wanted to seem strong for Jack but he also didn't want to lie to him.

"Well I used to…"

"So what happened?" Jacks questions came hard and stabbed Nicholas' heart.

"I-I don't know. I just gave up hope…" And for the first time in a long time Nicholas started to cry. "They beat me, hurt me, and I just want to die!" The tears came quick, and they were warm against Nicholas' skin.

"Then why don't you?" Cecilia asked.

"Don't I what?"

"Die." Jack's eyes never seemed colder but with sparks of a gentle, gentle...something a something Nicholas couldn't put his finger on.

"Because I- it, it has to rain," the rationale sounded stupid out loud. Nicholas turned away and began to walk out when Jack said something that froze him.

"I don't want you to die. I want you to be our friend. I want you as nakama." Those were the first kind words he had ever heard and they sounded so sweet as they rung and echoed in his ears.

"Nakama? But I can't leave this place. I would live in fear that they would find me." Oh how Nicholas wanted to be somewhere, anywhere with

Jack and his sister as his nakama. The word sounded as pure as Jack's gaze.

"Well then let's fix that shall we?" Jack walked out of the room and Cecilia trailed behind him her long hair bouncing with every step. "Listen up you bastards!" Jack yelled.

The room went silent, Nicholas rushed out and tried to grab Jack but Cecilia tripped him.

"Let him do it" she said smiling a sweet baby blue eyed and freckled face smile.

"Nicholas is going to be leaving with us and that's that ok?" Silence,

"Who in the hell is Nicholas?" One pirate asked.

"Him" Jack said in blank earnest pointing to the thin black haired boy now sitting, scared witless on the floor. Then one by one the pirates laughed a hearty, mocking laugh one that stretched into the minds of the three children and bounced around their, touching everything like an unwanted overly curious house guest. In the distraction Jack made his way over to a table, grabbed a knife and proceeded to stab one of the pirates in the throat. The laughter stopped immediately, the overly curious house guest just realized he over stayed his welcome.

"What the hell?" Before a pirate could finish Jack took the pistol out of his first victim's hoister and opened fire aiming at no one in particular but everyone all the same. In the chaos the pirates threw other pirates in the way of the bullet using some of their "nakama" as human shields, dead or alive it didn't matter. The firing went on for about five minutes and by then everyone in the bunker was dead. Their eyes still open in horror, blood smeared across the wall. Cecilia stood near the door to the outside and smiled.

"Whew, that was a lot of work. Hm, I just wondered why they didn't try to run more when I spent those times reloading the gun. Oh well!" Jack shrugged, worked the kinks out of his neck, dropped the gun and went over to Nicholas who had backed against the wall, in shock. _ How could anyone be so heartless? So ready to kill?_ Nicholas opened his mouth and swiftly closed it.

"How could you…?" Was all he could muster,

Jack looked at him and smiled purely.

"A year ago I have did a horrible thing, something born out of pure hatred and grief. When the reality of my deeds set in I was horrified of myself, I hated myself. So I decided then and there, I would never kill another soul in my life. Unless," he paused.

"Unless?" Nicholas needed to know.

"Unless, they messed with my nakama. You can do anything to me now, and I'll smile. I'll forgive you. But if you ever treat my friends with any disrespect I will kill you. Those who do that are scum and I have no pity for scum."

And in that moment, as he stared dumbfounded at the boy who was no older if not younger than him covered in the blood of evil pirates, Nicholas knew that this was the person he would follow to the ends of the earth. Outside the small patting of rain could be heard hitting the windowsill and frankly Nicholas didn't give a damn.

**Hi! I'm sorry for the gore and language in this chapter, and I'm especially sorry if it made anyone uncomfortable… But it had to be done. Ha, again feedback always appreciated. And thanks once again to Elena for her kind words! Oh and sorry if the chapter seemed a bit long. I tried to add as much detail as possible without making it boring. Did I fail? Please let me know ^_^**


	4. Meet the Crew:Golden Twins and The Mad

_And in that moment, as he stared dumbfounded at the boy who was no older if not younger than him covered in the blood of evil pirates, Nicholas knew that this was the person he would follow to the ends of the earth. Outside the small patting of rain could be heard hitting the windowsill and frankly Nicholas didn't give a damn._

**-One year later-**

"Ugh…I'm sooo hungry! We shoulda gotten food at that island we just visited…" Jack whined trying to stretch his legs, kicking his sister in the process.

"Hey quit it!" she snapped kicking him back.

"It was an accident, so you quit it!" He kicked her again.

"Ow! Quit it" Kick.

"You quit it" Kick.

"No you!"Kick.

"SHUT UP!" Nicholas screamed. They both quit it. "Uh sorry for the outburst" he blushed and looked away. Jack pouted.

"I love the sea and all but it's been forever since we last had a meal. And no fish are biting." Jack rubbed his rumbling stomach and looked into the distance. "Uh I think I'm seeing things…. It looks like there's an island. The sea…can be…so cruel." Jack fainted; a little over dramatically one might add.

"No Jack, hold on! There is an island up ahead!" Nicholas shouted. He picked up the oars and began to row towards the island at a break neck speed.

"Whoa slow down we're gonna crash!" Cecilia screamed. Nicholas promptly ignored her.

(I find it necessary here to explain to you what's going on inside Nicholas's head at this moment, so please bear with me here: _Gotta save Jack, my heart my love gotta save Jack, my heart my love gotta save Jack, my heart my love gotta save Jack, my heart my love gotta save Jack, my heart my love gotta save Jack, my heart my love…. Gotta save gotta save, ugh it's getting so hot…gotta SAVE)_.

Luckily or maybe unluckily for Jack, Nicholas managed to "save" him right into the island so fast that the boat toppled over sending the passengers head first into the sand of the port. Nicholas quickly rose shaking the sand off his head and body. He ran towards where Jack's body laid motionless, pushing Cecilia, who was just getting up and brushing the pieces of sand off her, back into the sand.

"Jack!" Nicholas held Jack's still body in his hands. Lifting Jack's head up with one palm he stared deeply into Jack's face wanting to have him wake up, and wanting him to sleep all the more.

"Nicho…las?" Jack asked opening his eyes slowly, blinking quickly. Cecilia joined them pleased and bemused by the sight of two young pirates staring each other in the eyes. _This is almost comical, _she thought.

"Yes Jack, I'm here for you, now and forever"

"Come closer my child" Jack whispered. _My child? _Cecilia raised an eyebrow and wrinkled her freckled face slightly, something was up.

Nicholas obeyed moving his ear ever so closely to hear Jack's request. "What is it Jack?"Nicholas sniffed.

_Oh for the sake of the sea he had better not cry,_ she rolled her eyes, quickly seeing a black figure move behind a small gathering of bushes. _What the- _her thought was interrupted by Jack's low and melodramatic cough.

"I need…I need…"

"Yes, Yes!"

"Foooooooood!" With one last cough Jack, a cough fitting for the tragic final act of a Shakespeare play, was out for good. Nicholas placed Jack's head and body down gently, wiped away a few tears that managed to pile up and stray from his eyes and ran towards the town, pushing Cecilia yet again into the sand.

When Cecilia got back up Nicholas wasn't visible but the dust cloud behind him was. She stood there, pissed. _What's a two year old to do with her ten year old brother out cold and his eleven year old star-crossed "lover" running around town pushing people into the sand?_ Once she regained her composure Cecilia looked around the sandy port. Sand, sand, sand, Jack, sand, sand, _Ah! The bush I forgot someone or thing was lurking behind it. _

Cecilia went over to her brother who was feigning unconsciousness in order to get Nicholas to get him his food faster (a rather smart if a tad unnecessary idea).

"Brother?" Cecilia said standing over him.

"Is Nicholas gone?" he asked, eyes still closed.

"Yes, yes he is" Cecilia was growing impatient with her brother's games.

"Ah, good, then what do you want?" He opened one eye to look at his sister.

"Can I use your knife I think someone is out to get us."

"Huh? Oh yeah sure knock yourself out. It's in my right pocket." He said motioning his hip slightly to his right. Cecilia dug deep into her brother's pocket and fished out his knife and began to move slowly towards the bushes. _Surprised, surprise I thought Jack would tell me no because "no little sister of his will ever hold a knife." Hmph seems I've gotten away scot-free. _

"Ah Cecilia! Wait! I almost forgot! Thought you could pull a fast one on my huh?" Cecilia stopped dead in her tracks. _Oh dammit… _"No little sister of mine…" Cecilia gulped, not wanting to hear her brother say those next few words. "… is going to run with a knife in her hands! Remember do not run with the knife." Cecilia almost fell over with relief.

"Of course not brother" Cecilia assured him as Jack went back to his pseudo-fainted state. Cecilia crept towards the bushes, knife in hand, and ready to defend. She pushed back the bushes to reveal… a small rabbit nibbling on some grass and who was now scared half out of it's wits. _A rabbit? Huh…well then._ Cecilia looked around one last time. Nothing, well besides Jack that is. _Oh well, might as well help Nick with the food. _Cecilia placed the knife in her pocket and walked towards the town in search of cupid's favorite target.

* * *

When, she was far away enough they moved. They looked at each other then at their target. Sweat rolled down the side of their faces and one licked her lips ever so slowly. Fists balled and geared up to fight, they moved out. It had been a good idea to leave the other bushes after all. With all the confusion with the love-sick black haired boy, the silver haired boy's cry for food, and the strangely intelligent child being pushed in the sand their movements went undetected, for the most part anyway. Now he was all theirs, the thing they wanted for so long, right before their very eyes.

Their footsteps melted into the sounds of the wind and moving tides. Their shadows casted over the boy's face.

"Huh Cessy, Nick you guys back already? I mean…uh…food, Nicholas please save me." When there was no response Jack lifted his head. "Hey, guys…wait…who are-" He was cut off by a sack being thrown over his head. He managed to get up before they could grab him and he reached for his -. _Damn,_ he felt the empty pocket remembering he'd given his knife to his sister. _Might as well go peacefully then. _Jack stopped running and fell to his knees as the two beings wrapped him in rope and proceeded to knock him out.

* * *

Cecilia walked through the town peeping in every open door she could to find Nicholas. When she heard a commotion going on in a meat parlor she decided to postpone her search to see what was all the noise about.

"Waddaya mean you don't serve pirates? My friend, my, my… is out there dying and for what? Because you don't wanna help him!"Nicholas fingered the sheath on his back placing one hand on the hilt of his blade, seeming to go between slicing the man behind the counter, or just letting it go to find another place. He was finding it difficult to pick either.

"Look kid we don't serve pirates not ever since that other kid's been causing a huge riot around town!" The man sneered at Nicolas but his jaw was tense as if waiting for Nicholas to make his decision.

"Nicholas Lawless! Jack would be appalled!" Cecilia stated standing in the doorway of the meat parlor and then walking calmly over to a deranged Nicholas. He stared at her with a wild and intense rage wanting to hurt her like he wanted to hurt the man, he caught himself, relaxed and all emotion drained from his face, once again becoming a placid lake of coolness. He looked at the man who was bewildered as to how a small girl no older than five had such a hold on the once murderous young boy.

"But I, but Jack…" Nicholas removed his hand from his blade and relaxed again, his eyes sucking up the light on his face like a black hole. "He's starving, he'll die…"

"Oh come on Nicholas you can't honestly believe that. You're smart you know better than I do that he's just over reacting." Cecilia folded her arms eyeing Nicholas' blank yet subtly hurt expression and felt a sudden peg of guilt. She shook off the feeling and proceeded to look around the meat parlor. The man behind the counter was breathing heavily, looking quickly from her to Nick, her to Nick. Cecilia let out a deep and heavily annoyed sigh. Just as she was about to open her mouth and pacify the man with her words and reason something interesting caught her eye. It was a wanted poster of pirate child. The boy was muscular, as tall as Nicholas it seemed, mean and hairy. Boy was he hairy. His eyebrows were thick and burly and he had hair on his forearms that grew like farms. And for some unknown reason it was enough to make Cecilia sick. She couldn't help but think of the all the poor hamsters that were killed to have their fur used for this guy's eyebrows.

"Who is that?" She asked the man behind the counter pointing to the picture, Nicholas followed her hand.

"That's the little bastard that keeps running amuck around this island. His name's Ronny the Mad. He's about 12-years old and he's a monster."

"So that's why you won't serve pirates?" Nicholas inquired not moving his solid gaze off of the poster.

"Yeah that's exactly why." The man told nervously, for he didn't want to upset the boy again. And maybe this time the girl might not be able to bail the butcher out.

"So if he is arrested and brought to justice there will be no qualms over serving us then, right?" Nicholas asked again his eyes moving towards the man but his head dwelling in the direction of the poster.

"Well yes, I see no-" Nicholas raised his hand to signal the man to stop.

"Say no more" He turned to Cecilia, "Cecilia get ready to kick some ass"

* * *

When Jack came to he was in a small, dark and damp room. A single beam of light etched out from a tiny crack in the brick of the house. _Where, what…_As Jack thought, the events of before became clearer. He remembered being attacked by two shadowy beings, feeling for his missing knife, trying to go peacefully and then, and then… nothing. He rustled and tried to get up but his hands and feet were tied together. _The hell is going on! _Jack tried and tried but he failed each time. Then, there were footsteps. Light, eager, scared footsteps. Jack held his breath, pushing himself against the nearest wall as he thought about all the way he would have to fight them. The door opened and the two shadowy figures from before reached out and grabbed him. They threw him into a room full of light. Jack blinked and looked around. He was in heaven, or in other words, a kitchen. The two figures reached down and untied him. He scurried to his feet and without second thought raided the fridge.

"Hey!" Said one figure. Jack turned his head slowly, and saw two blonde haired girls that looked exactly the same.

"Hey chick why are you walkin' around with a talking mirror?" Jacked asked in earnest, stuffing his face at the same time.

"Mirror!" The first one spoke again, the other simply lowered her head. "She's not a mirror idiot she's my sister! We're twins" At this Jack almost spit out his food. Almost.

"Twins! Whoa cool you gotta join my crew, I have a sister too…but we're not twins…you wanna be pirates?" Jack couldn't contain his excitement.

"No, we took you here so you could help us" The first one asserted, placing her hands on her hips, the second nodded.

"Help you? With what?" Jack asked half interested, what he really cared about was which food he would eat next.

"There's an evil kid pirate running around screwing with everyone in the village! His name's Ronny the Mad. He has something that belongs to us…" Her voice trailed off at that last part.

"Okay," Jack swallowed. "And who am I helping?"

"Lacey and Lucia Lightwood! Requesting your assistance!" They both yelled in a voice that rang against the clouds.

* * *

Whoa sorry it took so long for me to bring you the next chapter, I had severe writers block! Anyways thanks to xLostStar for the review! I appreciate it a lot that you like the story and the OCs. And to chitsuki-chan for adding this to their favorite stories! Ok so I think we're picking up a little, all the crew has been introduced and Ronny's the bad guy! Please look forward to the next chapter I plan to wrap this up and get back to Shanks because I miss my little red head! All constructive criticism is welcomed!


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